Old-Fashioned Chocolate Fudge

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Chill: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 36 servings

This easy, foolproof chocolate fudge is a snap to make with sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, and a little butter. If you use the microwave to heat the mixture, be sure to stir it frequently until the chocolate has melted completely and the mixture is well blended. Using a double boiler (or simply placing a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water) helps you better control the melting and keep the mixture smooth.

Squares of chocolate fudge with walnuts on a serving plate

The Spruce Eats / Diana Rattray

Instead of carefully cooking a sugar mixture until the perfect temperature and beating the fudge until creamy, this quick recipe lets you combine all of the ingredients at once and add it to the fridge to set up. It's much faster than your average fudge recipe but still results in creamy, rich candy.

Super easy chocolate fudge is one of our most popular fudge recipes, not only because of the great flavor and texture but also because it is incredibly easy to make. Just mix the ingredients together, melt, and spread.

"How mixing all the ingredients in one bowl gave me such a rich, chocolaty fudge totally amazed me. It set in less than 2 hours which is fantastic for someone who loves chocolate desserts. Just make sure that the water is simmering and not boiling; otherwise, you might burn your chocolate." —Tara Omidvar

Easy chocolate fudge tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

  • 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, about 2 cups

  • 6 ounces milk chocolate chips, about 1 cup

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for easy chocolate fudge recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats

  2. Lightly grease a 9-inch square pan. Line with a piece of plastic wrap about 18 to 24 inches in length, leaving the ends out to cover the finished fudge. The ends will also serve as "handles," which will help you lift the fudge out of the pan.

    Square metal baking pan lined with plastic film, with ends hanging over the sides

    The Spruce Eats

  3. In a double boiler or stainless steel bowl over simmering water, combine the sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, butter, and vanilla. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the nuts, if using.

    Chocolate and butter combined in a metal bowl placed over a pot

    The Spruce Eats

  4. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.

    Smooth liquid fudge mixture poured into baking pan lined with plastic film

    The Spruce Eats

  5. Spread gently, then cover lightly with the ends of the plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator until the fudge is firm.

    Pan with fudge covered with the overhanging ends of the plastic film

    The Spruce Eats

  6. Lift the chilled fudge out of the pan and cut into small squares.

    Hardened fudge cut into even squares and placed on waxed paper

    The Spruce Eats

  7. Serve and enjoy.

Recipe Variations

  • For rocky road fudge, stir in about 1 cup of miniature marshmallows and replace the chopped nuts with 1/2 cup of chopped peanuts.
  • Gently press about 1/2 cup of toffee bits into the top of the fudge just before you put it in the refrigerator.
  • Top the fudge with crushed peppermint sticks or candy canes.
  • Add chopped red and green candied cherries to the fudge in place of or in addition to the chopped nuts.
  • To make chocolate and coconut fudge, spread about 1/2 cup of flaked sweetened coconut out in a single layer in a skillet. Place the skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring and turning constantly, until the coconut is lightly browned. Stir the coconut into the fudge along with the nuts, if using.
  • Replace the walnuts or pecans with 1 cup of lightly toasted pistachios or chopped toasted macadamia nuts.
  • Stir 1 tablespoon of bourbon or rum into the fudge along with the vanilla.
  • Add 1/2 to 1 cup of dried cranberries, raisins, or chopped dried cherries to the fudge along with the nuts.

Is There a Difference Between Condensed Milk and Evaporated Milk?

While sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk are sold side by side on store shelves, they are used very differently and shouldn't be substituted when preparing a recipe. Evaporated milk is canned milk with over half of the water evaporated out. Sweetened condensed milk has sugar added, and is thicker and much, much sweeter. It gives this fudge creaminess and sweetness.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
124 Calories
6g Fat
17g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 36
Amount per serving
Calories 124
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 4g 19%
Cholesterol 8mg 3%
Sodium 24mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 16g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 54mg 4%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 108mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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